Monday, September 14, 2009

An Eventful Anniversary, In The Write Taste

An anniversary, like a birthday, is difficult to be impervious to. As much as age is just a number, and I didn’t even realise it when I recently crossed the 200-post mark, I’m young enough in blog years to be excited about blog birthdays.

I’m all of three today, though it does feel like I am growing up. And growing older. The first sign of the latter came with me wondering a few days ago when the anniversary was. That my first post went up on Dad’s birthday because it would be easy to remember had slipped my mind. As for growing up in the blog world - well, while my stats are static, I guess I have arrived, at least some distance, though the standard I’ve used to judge that is rather perverse - my photo made it to a national publication sans permission, and while my complaint was addressed immediately, it also earned me my first rude comment. And I even managed a repartee.

I’ve always got a kick from telling less-knowing family and friends who care about “my international readership”. Like those rare and precious things in life that can give us immense joy and thrill, are the blog and its assets, which include you, my dear readers and fellow bloggers. Thank you all for making this one lovely, exhilarating, and hopefully, never-ending, fun ride.

I mulled a commemorative event for the first anniversarytwo years ago but found a worthy idea only now. And yes, it’s going to be as tiresome as Grindless Gravies, with the rules being updated whenever I see a loophole cropping up, and maybe even rejecting entries if you’ve got it wrong. And I hope you’ll be gracious enough like you were the first time around and attempted to get it right the next time.

This event is not about cooking or recipes, it’s about food, and quality writing.

What I want you to do is share your favourite pieces of food writing with the rest of the world through this event. It could be prose, poetry, a scene from a play, fable, non-fiction, an article from a magazine or a newspaper, a food review, a cookbook review, a post in a blog, haiku, limerick, satire, anything; even writing that looks at food, cooking or eating in a negative light, but it has to have these as one of its main themes.

It could even be a recipe that has been written innovatively (please note: I don’t mean innovative recipe formats, like grids and such).

It doesn’t have to be all sensory and descriptive; it could be about food security, food safety, carbon footprint or other such serious topics, too. Only, if you choose something like this, try and find a not-too-technical piece as it might be more attractive to readers not familiar with those subjects.

It needn’t originally have been in English, but it needs to be a published English translation. In this case, please provide the relevant details, references and a link to the original piece of writing (or a link to information about it) so that readers who know that language can enjoy it.

Tell, in your post, why you like the work you’ve chosen, how you first came across it and what it means to you. Do make sure to link to information about it, quote a few excerpts, but please do not reproduce it in full - we don’t want to be charged with copyright violation. I encourage you to name not just the writers but the publishers, translators, edition, year of publication, all so that it can be easier to find if someone wants to get their hands on it.

This event is open to both bloggers and non-bloggers. The latter can mail me with their entries, depending on their size, I will host it on my blog and include it in the round-up.

Feel free to point to more than one piece of writing; whether in one post or multiple, I leave it to you. Do a new post for this event or re-publish an old one.

It shouldn’t, of course, be something that you yourself have written, nor should it be from this blog.

Link back to this post and mail me at srablogATgmailDOTcom. The details you have to give me include:

Your (blogger) name

Your blog name

Your location (optional)

Blog URL

Post URL

Name of author/blog/blogger and the title of the work you’re highlighting.

Please say: ‘The Write Taste’ in the e-mail’s subject field.

I’ll accept entries till October 15, and maybe even a little later, depending on how far I’ve come with the round-up.

Congratulations Sra, your space is such a lovely retreat to me. Have enjoyed every post you have had up...this is surely going to be fun.. But one doubt, in the last statement that is bold, you have mentioned that it shouldn't be something we have written?.

Congratulations on turning 3 here. Terrific Three! :)I think I have known your blog for about half that time.An unusual way to celebrate but I think its just what I now expect you to come up with. Something "hatke"!

Happy, thanks, but do try. Even I'm curious to see what kind of response this evokes.Valli, thanks. What I meant is, you shouldn't enter something that you yourself have written, you are free to highlight other bloggers' work, though.Aparna, thanks, thanks. At least in blog terms I'm hatke - you've made my day!Jayashree, thanks, I look forward to it.

Congrats! :) Yours is such a fun blog, Sra. For someone like me, I read your blog for fun - the one thing we miss out on after we become serious about stuff, all the time!

And I love that event. Long awaited, in a way. And different. Will surely send in something!

P.S. - Cyn's blog is probably an example for this event ;)

About your comment on my blog, thanks a ton. I do appreciate all kinds of comments, but I find a lot of fakeness sometimes or feel it, and that is what provoked that post :) I'm much clearer in my head now, so all is okay! :D

Hey Congratulations!! That reminds me I'm gonna turn 3 in blog years too in a couple of weeks! Well, I became mamma bear, so baby bear keeps me busy. And papa bear decided to relocate so I'm busy settling in. Will be lurking around here!:)

Hi Sra, first time on your blog and find myself in the fortunate position of congratulating you. Love your event not because I think I have just the right entry for you, but your rules are some I look for in a lot of blogs I like to follow -- proper if not good english and content that speaks to me. Looking forward to the roundup.

Congratulations Sra for turning 3! and that is one innovative idea for the event I must say. rules chaduvutuntene, roundup gurinchi alochistunna..hehe! it should be fun. I will try to send some your way!

Aqua, thanks, I'm keen to see what you come up with. Lubna, thanks, you got it! Search words and write tastes!Mamatha, yes, 3 years. I still remember waiting for my new computer to arrive before I started this blog! Thanks for the wishes.Shaista, thank you.A_and_N, Can't wait to see what you'll send. As for comments, I could go on and on, but I guess it's human nature to expect a comment in return - sometimes I wonder if I'll continue writing if no one comments on my blog. And not everyone looks for the same kind of value you or I do in a blog - we could be nothing more than a recipe index to them (God forbid!)! Jyothsna, ooh, congratulations yourself! Hope things are sane and working out. Best of luck and kiss the baby for me! Jaya, Me too, me too! :-) Thanks for visiting.Siri, how are you? Thanks!Shri, thanks. I'm sure you can write well but for this event, you just have to show off someone else's writing!Valli, I just spoke to him and told him it was my blog birthday, don't know if he'll check - he's too full of fish fry :-D Indo, that's a very uplifting compliment. I'm glad I broke my self-imposed rule of not touching the computer after work. Thanks.

Sra,congrats!! and this is indeed very good idea for an event...you know what you have brighten up my many gloomy days ....love reading here a lot and thanks for putting up so hilarious posts and sometimes even pictorial journey ..my fav is still the "Japanese pictorial joureney"...hugs and smiles

Cham, think hard, and thanks!Bong Mom, thanks, you're a month younger, right?Jaya, thanks, I was lucky to be able to visit Japan, must go revisit now!Soma, thanks for the greetings. You don't have to write much if you don't want - just point to some nice writing. Cynthia, even if they aren't online, just quote a bit and give us the details, those who are interested can buy or borrow the books from a library.Supriya, thanks, hope I don't dry up!Musical, thanks. I think hobbies are always more satisfying than other stuff - you can be more yourself with them

Happy Birthday to you and may you have many many more. Sra, me event chuste naku mba admission ki essay submit chestuna feeling vastundi. time to search for my thinking cap, it been a while since I have worn it :)

Shwetha, Yes, you need to pay me! ;)Just joking, you don't need to do anything, just send in an entry, thanks!Bong Mom, I think so, I meant to check, but haven't ... Sreelu, I'm sure this is more fun than an MBA, c'mon, give it a shot!Sunshinemom, Thanks, yeah, I feel a little older now.

Hey Sra, congrats on 3 years! I read the post when you posted it a few days ago, I guess on my phone that I didn't leave a note. :) Congrats and wish you many more years of blogging glory and all that!Nice event, but sounds like a lot of work... ;) But let me see what I can do.

Ond oh how did I miss! A great handshake for the 3 year mark! Its wonderful and lovely to have you in this space and you know how you are missed even when u are away for a vacation! This blog is so very dear to my heart!

Sig, is it really a lot more work than pulling out those pots and pans, slicing and dicing, etc etc? :-) Do send something!Miri, yes, it seems like just yesterday! Ni, thanks. "you know how you are missed even when u are away for a vacation" - I do know. :)Anita, thanks. Tough, yes, I have to live up to my reputation, and it already seems to be at work - not a single entry so far!TBC, thanks a lot!